Bravo 3 Drive Showers

[bruceb58]

Are they really necessary? My new to me Cobalt has a 350HP 6.2L on a 26' boat. Not a barn burner and I will run it under 4000RPM 99% of the time.

 

[Scott06]

Necessary no, especially for use you outline. the only time i have noticed needed one is when towing skiiers for like an hour straight, low pitch prop, glass smooth day so we had nice long runs. I was surprised how hot the upper was when climbing back in the boat. This biat was 35 yrs old when i sold it in good running condition.
you have a nice boat, my buddy has the same boat was impressed with fit and finish on this boat.

 

[Scott Danforth]

they come into play on go-fast boats primarily used in poker runs.

 

[alldodge]

Look to see if color of the lube gets darker after the season

 

[racerone]

There are temperature sensitive stickers you can put on the drive.----Will tell you what temperature the drive is running at.

 

[QBhoy]

My boat had one on its alpha one. Looks great and no doubt would be handy if I lives somewhere warm and ran the boat flat out all the time. But the reality was that it threw water up over the back seats...right exactly at the boats most efficient cruising speed. Soon took it off.
Simce then, the 7-10oC water temps of Loch Lomond have cooled the drive nicely

 

[bruceb58]

My boat is in Lake Tahoe where the warmest the water gets is 65°F.

Those temperature stickers sound interesting. Where do you get them at?

I was thinking about putting some wireless BBQ probes on it to see what it gets up to.

 

[QBhoy]

My boat is in Lake Tahoe where the warmest the water gets is 65°F.

Those temperature stickers sound interesting. Where do you get them at?

I was thinking about putting some wireless BBQ probes on it to see what it gets up to.

I also wondered about the possibility of these further worsening the galvanic issues that bravo drives sometimes have too. Wondered if it would make the drive act as a sacrificial anode for the bloody thing.

 

[racerone]

Google----Thermax -----Stickers.------Likely others available too.

 

[bruceb58]

I also wondered about the possibility of these further worsening the galvanic issues that bravo drives sometimes have too. Wondered if it would make the drive act as a sacrificial anode for the bloody thing.

I think the monster hunks of stainless steel props are more of an issue.

Fortunately, I am in fresh water 100% so not much of an issue.

 

[QBhoy]

I think the monster hunks of stainless steel props are more of an issue.

Fortunately, I am in fresh water 100% so not much of an issue.

Yeah. You’re right...more stainless gear won’t help. I’m in fresh water too...but even here, bravos suffer terribly in at least one or the marina here, with shore power systems and pontoons not being set up correctly. What a mess some of them are after only a few years.

 

[alldodge]

warmest the water gets is 65°F.
.

I keep forgetting about that, cooler water

 

[bruceb58]

Yeah. You’re right...more stainless gear won’t help. I’m in fresh water too...but even here, bravos suffer terribly in at least one or the marina here, with shore power systems and pontoons not being set up correctly. What a mess some of them are after only a few years.

If the boat is plugged into shore power, I can see the problem. If a boat is not plugged in, there really should be no issue.

I may be adding an outlet on my dock and I would definitely do a voltage check to see if there was stray current.

 

[QBhoy]

If the boat is plugged into shore power, I can see the problem. If a boat is not plugged in, there really should be no issue.

I may be adding an outlet on my dock and I would definitely do a voltage check to see if there was stray current.

I think the jetty isn’t earthed properly Bruce. Caused loads of issues. Even the alpha ones are rotting at the trim ram oil fittings